


A Miraculous Thief!

by Acezes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, F/M, Fixing the Canon, Friendship/Love, Gen, Love Triangles, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, the show sucks so this is as if I wrote the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:23:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28806519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acezes/pseuds/Acezes
Summary: Marinette is an honors student at Françoise Dupont, an elite school for only France's brightest or richest. She lives a boring life until she is gifted a magic pendant to help her investigate a miraculous thief. What really happened in Paris all those years ago, and how does the Agreste family tie into it? In a thrilling cat and mouse game, will Ladybug and her reluctant partner find the answers? Or will they catch the heroes first?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 11





	1. Pilot

Chapter 1: Pilot

***

_“Will you come to see me again?” A woman whispered, her face stained with tears. She looked at her lover, already knowing the answer. She really was beautiful. The man gently wiped a tear from her eye._

_“Soon,” he lied. “Very soon.” He gently took a necklace from the case and put it around her neck. “Don’t forget me. Don’t forget my promise.” The woman felt the pendant and somehow it felt warm. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, he had left quietly from her, and she was all alone._

***

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng? Are you still with us?”

Marinette looked back at her teacher. Advanced chemistry class. Marinette was doodling in her notebook where she was supposed to be taking notes. Every day, she looked out the window and hoped something interesting would happen. Nothing ever did. So, she daydreamed about her future. In her fantasy, Marinette was a famous fashion designer in Paris. But she knew that would never happen. She would grow up, go to school, and become what her parents wanted.

“Can you explain to the class the basics of qualitative analysis?”

“Qualitative analysis is identifying and grouping elements in a sample.” Marinette sighed and sat back down. Every day was the same.

…

She sat on her boyfriend’s bed, doodling on his jeans in a fabric pen. Luka spun in his chair slowly strumming a slow song on his guitar. _At least Luka isn’t boring_ , Mari thought. Luka was indeed very interesting, and perhaps what was most interesting to Marinette was his interest in her. Although Marinette would never admit to it, Alya still pleads that they originally got together because Luka was like a love-sick puppy. At first, Marinette refused to date Luka, citing that it wouldn’t work out since she was going to a new school next year. Despite both of their schedules being constantly busy, they’ve somehow made it work for over a year.

Luka suddenly stopped and looked at her. His eyes were a dazzling light blue.

“What?”

“You were just staring at me,” Luka laughed. “It was kinda creepy.”

“I am not creepy!” Marinette huffed. She capped her marker and threw it at him playfully. “It’s getting late. I should head out.”

“Wait,” said Luka, “we never see each other. You’re already top of your class. Can you please stay a little longer? It’s only 9 and it’s a Friday.”

But Marinette had already packed her backpack and was on her feet.

“We’ll see each other next Saturday, right?”

Luka sighed. “Goodbye, Marinette.”

As Marinette left, she felt a little bad for Luka. _Well, it's not like he didn’t know what he was getting into._ Mari had told him way before their first date that she was going to an elite private school her junior year and was planning on taking the most rigorous and challenging courses they had to offer, cutting down her free time into a meager couple of hours a week. With all her time spent studying and helping her parents run the bakery, she just didn’t have time or emotional energy for a boyfriend. Especially since it was no longer summer.

The crisp fall air made her the perfect amount of chilly, making her side bangs tickle her cheeks. Her first semester at Françoise Dupont was going well so far. But if she ever wanted a full-ride scholarship at her dream school in America, she needed to work harder. Her boots crunched some leaves, satisfyingly. The moon made her dark blue eyes shine like the ocean. She peered up at Paris, her home. If she squinted hard, she could see her father’s bakery. On top was her balcony, a rooftop patio just for her. Before her life got full, Alya and her used to have so much fun up there. If she listened hard enough, she could still hear the laughter.

As she neared her home, she took a deep breath in. _Warm bread and flour._ Marinette dropped her backpack on her desk. It was late, and she was tired, but she had to review her textbooks. It was only midnight when she felt she had reviewed enough. _I get to go to bed early today!_ As she laid in her bed, she looked up.

A beautiful night sky was above her. It seemed to beckon her. _I wish…_ but she did not know what to wish for. Something felt like it was missing. Like she needed to go on an adventure. It felt like the last breath you take before you jump. It felt like a staggering breath before you say “I love you” to someone for the first time. Something about this night felt intimate and raw and new. Like something was changing. Like something was coming. Like something was _interesting_. _I wish…_ but Marinette was sleeping. And everything felt right.

…

Marinette woke up at 6 am sharp, as she did every day. The air today was thin and the weather was sunny. She breathed in and knew it would rain soon.

Downstairs, her mother and father were preparing to open for today in just a half-hour. Her parents would prepare all the pastries and bread and she would work in the front until her mom and her switched and she would help her father in the back. She loved this time of day- nobody else was awake, and she had no pressing responsibilities. But today especially, she felt like a rubber band, stretching back and back, and everything was about to snap.

_Ding!-_

The bell on the door rang and she met eyes with a familiar stranger. _Snap!_ a rubber band went somewhere. She felt like her life was about to change. The words he was about to say would change her life, she just knew it. It felt like-

“Excuse me, I said how much was the baguette?”

Marinette shook her head and snapped back into reality. The old man was right ahead of her with two baguettes in a white paper bag. Her mother appeared behind her suddenly.

“Marinette Cheng!” she chastised. “I’m sorry sir, that’s 1.80 euros.”

The old man looked at her strangely. 

“Are you Sabine Cheng, younger sister of Bao Cheng?” he suddenly asked.

“Yes? Who are you?”

The man smiled, finally recognizing her. “I’m Wang Fu, Bao’s old friend. It makes sense that you don’t remember me. You were only five. But I never forget a face, and you look the same.”

Sabine thought for a moment but began tearing up a moment later. “Bao passed a few years ago. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. He was a good friend and I'm sure a wonderful older brother. I only wish I could've said goodbye.”

“I’ll be right back! Let me go get my photo album,” Sabine replied sniffling. She smiled. “A friend of Bao’s is a friend of mine.”

Her mother left upstairs. Marinette eyed the man. _My family was from China. What are the odds of my uncle’s long-lost childhood friend ends up here, in this bakery when my mother happens to come to the front?_ She couldn’t help but think of it as fate.

“So, what brings you to Paris, Wang?” Anything to cut the awkward silence.

“I am actually here to find some specific antique jewelry. My one lead has been somewhere in Paris- I actually arrived last night. Hopefully, my search is over in a couple of weeks.”

That response left her with even more questions. _How long had he been searching? What was so special about the jewelry? What leads does he have? And why say it like an investigation?_ Sabine returned holding a thick book full of happy memories. As they flip through the book and make small remarks about each memory, Mari helps other customers. It was now almost 7:30. Sabine and Wang made up like no time had been lost at all, reminiscing about Bao and times from before France. 

“You should meet my daughter, Marinette. She's a smart cookie, you know. Top of her class! She got into this fancy school on a merit scholarship. And so clever!” Mari blushed a little under the compliment. 

“We talked a bit earlier,” Wang smiled down at Marinette lovingly, like a granddaughter he never had. “You should come by for tea sometime, both of you. I would love to talk more. I live just outside Paris.”

“Of course!” Sabine smiled. “It was great catching up with you!”

“And you as well!” And with that, the man hobbled out the door. Marinette knew that wasn’t the last time she’d see him around.

***

“Nathalie, I’m tired.” A boy about 17 stated flatly. “Don’t bother me for the rest of the day today.”

Adrien Agreste headed upstairs to his room ignoring Nathalie’s pleas. He could study Chinese later. He had spent the last 16 hours standing, posing, exercising, being lectured... In his small window of free time, the night was his. It was 10 pm. In 10 hours, he’d be awake, showered, dressed, fed, and out all day again. No matter what, he was forced to sleep at midnight as Nathalie came to check on him. But for two short hours, he could do whatever he wanted. 

He turned on his tv. _Boring._ The news was never anything interesting- as a celebrity, he was told it was important to stay up to date on the news and tabloids, but he never understood why as he had Nathalie to do it for him. And if he desired, he could hire someone to watch tv for him, and give him summaries at night. But his tv only had a couple of set channels, passcode protected. He wasn’t allowed to watch anything exciting. He falls asleep to the monotone news reporter. So this was all he had.

_Man arrested for trespassing an apartment just outside of Paris this morning. Luckily, no one was home during the event. The perpetrator's name is John Jones. The police believe this was an attempted robbery, but according to the victim, nothing was stolen._ The story cut to an interview with John Jones taken hours earlier. “ _I’m telling you, I didn’t do it!” The police officer handcuffing him rolled his eyes. “He’s claiming to have no memory of breaking and entering and trashing an old man’s apartment.”_ It cut back to the news reporter in the studio. _We’ll have more to this story later tonight. Good night, Paris!_

…

Adrien woke up a loud screech from his phone, and angrily smashed the buttons. When he was younger, he used to act out and defy Nathalie by sleeping in and refusing to leave his room. His father took this as defying him, and you don’t want to cross Gabriel Agreste. Adrien had learned his lesson, and absentmindedly felt his sides, under his shirt. Another Sunday morning. It was just the same as any morning in routine. But today, two years ago, his mother passed away. _I’m grateful to be too busy to think today_.

Downstairs was his overbearing manager Nathalie. His father was somewhere in his mansion in places he knew not to venture. He sits at the table, and his food is seated in front of him. It’s a healthy assortment of mixed fruit. Nathalie sat on the other end of the long table, typing away furiously on her laptop.

“Your father says you will begin school on Monday, tomorrow morning.”

Adrien choked on his strawberry. He stood up quickly.

“Why?! What could I possibly gain from going to school with... Civilians?” He sputtered.

“It’s not a public school. It’s a very nice one. Relax and finish eating.” Nathalie did not even look up at Adrien as she said this. Adrien knew that resisting was futile and slammed himself back down in his seat. “Besides, Chloé will be there.”

_Oh great. Just fucking great._ Adrien liked Chloé. He really did. But it had nothing to do with her. After years of Nathalie and his father asking him to take his status seriously, he suddenly had to stoop to an average person's level? _How will they control the fangirls? Sure, it’s a private school, but girls everywhere worship me like a god_ . Adrien smirked a little. _Once they see it’s impossible for me to learn, or to control the crowds, they’ll have to expel me. Besides, it’ll be an interesting change of pace._ Truth be told, Adrien had come to love being idolized. 

“Adrien, are you listening to me?” Nathalie had stopped typing and was staring directly at him from across the table.

“Nope!” Adrien replied, eating his last blueberry. Suddenly, Nathalie relented and her face softened. 

“I know today might be a little harder for you than most days. If you need anything just ask me, Adrien.”

_Scratch an overbearing manager. She’s more like an overbearing step-mom_. Adrien scowled. 

“I don’t need a replacement mom. Let’s just go.” Adrien stood up and was handed his jacket and kept walking to the car.

_Oh, Emily, if you could see him now,_ thought Nathalie. _He’s just like you._ Nathalie swiftly stood and sat in the passenger's seat, next to Adrien's driver. He wouldn't be home until 9 today. He yawned and looked outside. 

_Real school, huh?_ Adrien sighed. _Hopefully something interesting happens._

A/N  
In this AU, it's basically me fixing the show, since we all know the canon is a flaming garbage can. Think of it as almost a detective!au. Its what I think most of us wanted the show to be desperately haha. the plot picks up after this chapter

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think :). This chapter took 4 hours of planning, writing, and editing, so I would appreciate a kudo if you enjoyed <3


	2. A Lost Clawse

Marinette’s calendar is dark orange, filled in with lots and lots of scribbles, composed of essay due dates, birthdays, positive messages to read later, and funny quotes her friends have said. Today’s date was empty. It read October 3rd, a Sunday. Despite having no school, Marinette was nowhere to be found. Her room was quite tidy, with the exception of her desk, which was littered with loose, crumpled pages and sticky notes on the wall, and stacks of textbooks. On her bed was a sprawled diary, which was more a planner nowadays, and her favorite green pen. On her balcony were several dying flowers and an ugly green and red rug she got for Christmas last year. Still, Marinette was not here.

Downstairs, Tom Dupain kneaded bread. The heat from the kitchen radiated into the next room, where Sabine Cheng was working on the business’ finance. Later, Sabine would help Tom in the kitchen, working on laminating the more time-consuming breads and pastries. Late at night, after the bakery would close, Marinette herself would appear and help create the yeasted doughs to bake tomorrow morning and help close the back. On the wall hung schedules, recipes, and one drawing from a younger Marinette- herself as a baker, in that kitchen. Marinette knew, even then, her fate was sealed. With no siblings, she would have to take over her parents' bakery one day. Marinette allowed this to happen, and let her destiny pull her like she was flowing down a river. She enjoyed working here, anyway. She loved the heat from the ovens. She loved the smell of flour and baked bread. She loved working with her hands. But Marinette wasn’t here, either.

Today was a chilly day as well; the bright skies cleverly hid the wind chill that pushed behind Mari, urging her forward. Her windbreaker was a bright red, a direct contrast to her deep blue hair. In her arms were two giant loaves of sourdough, keeping her warm on her way to Wang’s apartment. Wang Fu lived very close to Marinette’s house. She noticed something strange- there was a news crew standing outside. Worried, she quickly ran inside and ran up the stairs. The door to Wang’s apartment was left cracked open. She pushed inside.

“Mr. Fu?” She said quietly. “Is someone home?”

Mr. Fu was sitting in the middle of the studio apartment. The room itself had been trashed- the couch cushions were ripped open. The older tv was smashed in the middle and the doors on the cabinets were torn off. Wang was packing his few belongings in his suitcase, the most interesting of which was a large and octagonal black box. He looked up at Mari in shock- and relief.

“Marinette. I was hoping you’d arrive soon. I had a feeling you would.”

“What happened? Are you alright?!” Mari rushed over to the man, dropping the bread off on the counter. Wang closed his eyes and sighed. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was far too skinny, even for an old man. His hair had long receded and time had not been kind to him.

“A man had robbed me yesterday when I had stopped by the bakery.” he met Mari’s eyes. “They were looking for this.” He pulls the black box from his suitcase. It was truly beautiful. A black matte finish with blood-red geometric shapes. Mr. Fu opened the box, revealing four pieces of jewelry. There were three more empty slots.

“Wow- these are so… beautiful,” she gushed. “But wait. How didn’t he find the box? Your house was gutted!”

“Marinette, you have shown me that you are a clever and quick-witted girl. I know I can trust Bao’s niece. If I tell you what I know about this jewelry set, you can not tell another soul.” Wang looked at her seriously.

Marinette's eyes widened. She looked from him to the jewelry box. One was a yellow and black striped comb. Another was a thin bracelet with a silver, eight-sided pendant. The last two were in the center of the box, the holder shaped and colored like yin and yang. On one side was a titanium, square ring, and on the other lie a pair of black earrings.

“In truth, this is no ordinary jewelry. This box is called the Miraculous box, and in it lies the Miraculous pendants. Each gives the user a power used to help the forces of good in the world,” he explained, pulling out a hidden, fire-colored necklace from behind his shirt. “No matter how hard he looked, he never would have found the box. I have hidden it with this pendant, which grants the powers of illusion. The man that broke in yesterday would never even have considered the possibility, though. He was an innocent man under the control of someone with the moth or peacock pendant.” He gestured to the empty spaces in the box.

“The miraculous user had sensed the box’s magic aura when I first arrived in Paris. The box holds a very strong aura- the more miraculouses in one place, the stronger the aura. But in the Miraculous box, it’s especially strong. I am here in Paris to find the moth and peacock users. They are thieves who will be brought to justice.”

“Why are you telling me this, Mr. Fu?” Marinette struggled to breathe. If everything he was saying was true, then Mr. Fu was in serious danger, and by extension, Marinette was in danger even hearing about it. But why make up such an outrageous lie?  _ This doesn’t make any sense. Why not leave the box outside of Paris? Why endanger yourself unnecessarily? _

“Because… I trust you,” he smiled. “And you must trust me, too, because you haven’t ran out of here yet. Marinette, will you help me catch the thieves?

Marinette’s heart stopped. She barely had time to go on walks or see her boyfriend. If she were to accept, she would be in grave danger. If her grades dropped because of this, it would be evident to the miraculous users. How far could she even go? She was only sixteen, a junior.  _ I have more than enough on my plate _ .

But her eyes were drawn to the pendants in the box. Isn’t this what she had been waiting for? Adventure?

“I will help you, Mr. Fu.” She said confidently, but her heart lurched in her stomach.  _ What am I thinking?! _

“Thank you. I knew I could count on you. I was initially drawn to Paris on a hunch. In fact, before I got here, I had no idea the two miraculouses were even stolen. I had lost them many years ago, as a foolish teenager. Once I crossed France’s borders, I knew I made the right call.

“When a miraculous user is nearby, you can sense their aura. That is how the moth or peacock miraculous user was able to find me so quickly. I have felt their aura. It is cold with evil. If I do anything on this Earth, I must not let them get their hands on this box. With this much power, a person would become a god. This is why I must leave Paris. Hell, I’m even going to leave France. I need you to carry out the investigation by yourself until I return. Take these, Marinette. These pendants will protect you.”

Marinette's' mind reeled, her thoughts spun with questions that would lead to more questions. Wang Fu handed Mari the pair of earrings and the titanium ring. They were cool in her hands.

“B-but wouldn’t this put me in danger?” Her eyes were wide and fearful. “Couldn’t they sense my aura with these?”

“Yes. But auras are much like smells, in a way. As long as you keep moving, the aura can’t linger, and it will be much harder to track you. Don’t stay in any place for longer than you sleep and you’ll be fine.” His eyes sparkled in a knowing way. “I think that you’ll find it harder to stay still than keep on the run. You can use auras to your advantage. When you're out in the city, you may be able to feel remnants of the other miraculous’ aura. Although I’m sure the miraculous user is well aware of auras and how to hide their own. Here.”

He hands her a thick and very old book. Despite its age, it’s in fantastic condition. 

“Everything you need to know will be in here.”

She took the book and opened the front cover. The edges of the pages were a deep yellow but had no crinkles or tears. He closes the box and places it in his suitcase.

“Before I go, make sure to never activate both at once, and never use the powers for your own gain. I’ll also give you my phone number. Walk me to the subway, Marinette, But don’t mention the miraculous, please. Guard the secret with your life.”

Mari took a deep breath and steadied herself on her feet.  _ What an info dump. _

…

Mari said nothing for several minutes. The whole walk to the subway was quiet. As she waved goodbye to Wang, she said nothing. She couldn’t help but feel like this would be the last time she would see Mr. Fu for many years. The subway pulled away and she stood frozen in place, a juxtaposition to the ever-moving crowd behind her. She pulled out the jewelry, the earrings in her right, the ring in her left, and just stared.  _ All that… for these? _

After forever, she walked out of the subway. It was no longer the sunny day anymore, and dark clouds had rolled in from the west. Despite this, she didn’t shiver. She didn’t show any emotion at all until she was back home in her bed, staring up through her skylight window. A gentle rain began to fall. Each drop represented another question in Marinette’s mind.

_ Why wait so long to find the lost miraculous pendants? _

_ Why come to Paris with the whole box? _

_ Why trust me? _

_ Why would I agree to this? _

_ How do you even activate the pendants? _

_ Is he just crazy? _

_ Why me? _

A crack of thunder rolled through the sky. Mari inspected the earring in her fingertips. After putting them on, she felt a warm, oozey feeling go through her.  _ Power _ , she thought.  _ I feel unstoppable _ .

_ I don’t understand. Is it activated now? _

“Hello, I am Tikki!”

Marinette jumped back from the flying mouse, her eyes wide. 

“A bugmouse?! Wait, a god? Are you a god bugmouse?!” 

“Yes! I am the god of creation and I live in your earring!” The tiny god giggled. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions. Um… where are we? Where’s Master Fu?”

Marinette breathed slowly and came towards the creature. It wasn’t like any animal she’d ever seen before- it was a very light pink, almost white, with a deep brown spot on its forehead. It was almost humanoid, but something was very off about it like it came straight from a cartoon. It had two long, wispy antennas coming from her temple.  _ It looks like… a satyr? But she has no fur or horns. _

“Mr. Fu had to leave. He was being followed.” Marinette gulped.

“Followed? Paris? He must be getting close then,” she said. “Tell me, what year is it?”

“It’s... 2021.”

“2021?” Tikki shrieked. “And Master Fu only just arrived in Paris? This is all very bad news. What’s your name?”

“M-Marinette,” she said. “So, you can’t hear while you're in the earring?”

“I sleep most of the day and when not in use. You’re my first miraculous user for over a hundred years!” Tikki licked her hand and scratched behind her antennas, like a cat. “However your powers aren’t active until you transform. We can agree on a code word.”

“So you can only hear me when I say a code word?” Mari asked. “Like an Alexa?”

“Yes (I think?). And then you will borrow my powers for a short while. As you train you’ll be able to stay transformed for longer. You will also have the power of creation. Usually, my users pick something catchy like ‘lucky charm’. Can you tell me why Master Fu has given you a miraculous?”

Marinette explained the strange circumstances. Tikki was a great listener, gasping and nodding her head at the right times.

“That’s very troubling. I can sense the cat miraculous with you. Marinette, I know Master Fu said to keep this all very secret, but we should consider giving one miraculous away. Even with the miraculous book, and staying mobile, the moth user will be able to sense the aura restricted to wherever you go and it will be very easy to track you. Two people will be much harder to track- the auras will get mixed and it will be confusing.”

“I don’t think I can do that Tikki. Master Fu said to use whichever one I needed at the moment, that implies I’ll need to use both of them!”

“But the ladybug and cat miraculous are the most powerful of the miraculouses, Marinette. You don't understand the grave danger you’re in by keeping both here through the night.”

Mari clutched the cat miraculous in her hand and held it back from Tikki.  _ Something this dangerous can’t just be given to anyone. Who would even want to help me with this responsibility? Whoever I give the miraculous to will be in constant danger. It won’t just be myself at risk anymore. Why pick me, Mr. Fu? _

“I see. In that case, we’d better get a move on. Let’s go through the city tonight- it’s raining and that will help hide you against the skyline. We can make your transforming cue anything you want, but for now, it’s ‘Transform me!’”

“Transform me?”

Tikki was sucked back into the necklace and Mari felt a burning hot sensation where the earrings were. Her body began to tingle and her room flooded with light. Her clothes had transformed into a dark red spandex suit with brown spots and a simple wing shape on her lower back. Her hair, which was usually a high messy bun turned into two jet black pigtails.  _ Oh my god! _

Marinette picked up the cat miraculous and danced it in her fingertips. She would have to be careful not to drop it. She put it on her finger.  _ The best chance I have is to talk to someone at school tomorrow and give them the miraculous then. _

With that, she opened her balcony window, accidentally dousing her bed with water. _Ugh._ She crawled out and replaced the glass door. Her arms brushed against an object fashioned around her waist. _A yoyo?_ _I haven’t played with one since I was a kid._ She took it out and swung it around her finger, in a small, elegant circle. _But what do I do with it?_

She took one step onto her balcony. Before anything, she should learn as much as she could about her new powers. Knowledge will be the make or break it point.  _ If I want to outsmart the bad guy, we have to get on an equal playing field first _ . The water bounced off her skin where it hit the suit. It didn’t feel clammy or tight. She rubbed her eyes to discover a new addition- a large face mask covering half of her face. Her hands were textured gloves, but she could still feel as if she had no gloves on at all. She took another step. Her feet seemed 10x lighter. What would happen if she jumped? She did a small hop and screamed- she had accidentally jumped over five feet in the air! As she came back down she felt no pain.  _ Is there even any fall damage? What if I jump even higher? _

With all her might, she jumped again- easily clearing over twenty feet. She fell over in the air and caught herself with her hands and knees. Obviously, this would take some practice. But amazingly, there was no pain in her hands or legs.  _ There must be some sort of limit, but I’ll cross that bridge when I fall off one _ .

“Here we go,” she said, bracing herself. She jumped and landed on the roof, almost falling backward. “Oh my god!” she laughed. “This is amazing!”

She began running. Her speed was double- no, triple- of normal. The rain pelted her face so fast it stung, but she didn’t care. She jumped from the bakery to a nearby apartment complex, and from that to another, and another. She had never felt so free and alive. On her last jump, she slipped and began to fall into the busy french traffic. Panicked, time slowed down.  _ Oh, of course! It makes sense now! _ She unlatched her yoyo from her sides and spun it around the next building’s chimney. It moved impossibly fast and latched with a surprising amount of grip. She pulled hard and the wire became strong and tight. Marinette began to swing from her fall and up she jumped, landing safely on the next building. With a flick of her wrist, the yoyo came free. It seemed she didn’t have to practice with the yoyo at all.  _ Magic. It’s real magic. _

It must have been an hour of running before she finally felt tired. She sat on the top of a tall, gothic-looking building. “Uh, detransform me? Does that w-” a flash and she was back in her regular clothes. She sat under the concrete and watched the rain fall beautifully far down below her. If she fell, she would surely die in an instant. There would be no way humanly possible for a 16-year-old girl to get to this perch, but here she was. _It’s real. There’s no way it is, but I’m really here._  
Tikki bumped into her shoulder and crawled on lazily. “Sorry, Marinette. I’m a little out of practice. Can we take a little break? You wouldn’t happen to have a snack would you?”

Marinette fished into her pant pockets and pulled out a smashed packet of saltine crackers. Tikki tore it open and ate it hungrily. Marinette giggled.

“It’s ok, Tikki. I think it’s time I practiced with the cat miraculous on my way back.” Marinette held up her left pinky to Tikki. “I’m excited to meet the other god bugmouse! But I wonder why he hasn’t said anything to me yet.”

“Uh, Marinette? Why are you holding up your finger?”

“Hmm?” Mari looked down at her bare hand.

  
  


“WHERE’S MY MIRACULOUS?!”

*** 

“Of course he doesn’t want to fucking talk to me. You don’t have to state the obvious Nathalie. We’ve lived in the same house for years and he’s only said a maximum of five words to me. Why would he say anything else today? Why does today matter?” Adrien spat. “My mom was important to me too. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

“Adrien that isn’t true- come back inside, please. You have a piano lesson in five minutes. Let’s talk about this later.”

“It’s ALWAYS later! Why not now?” Adrien stormed down the stairs, put on his shoes and jacket, and opened the door.

“Adrien please, what will the press say? At least put on your wig-” but Adrien had already stormed out of the house. Nathalie’s phone rang. “Hello?”

“Prepare the car. I am taking a business trip.”

“So sudden? I haven’t had time to prepare plane or hotel plans.”  _ Not to mention this is the first business trip you’ve taken in years. _

“I didn’t ask for your advice Nathalie. I think it’s time to meet our old friend again. You will be accompanying me on this trip.”

“Of course sir. Everything will be ready in a half-hour.” With that, Mr. Agreste hung up the call.  _ So, we will be seeing her again?  _ Nathalie sighed.  _ To be honest, I’m surprised this didn’t happen sooner _ .

***

Luckily, Adrien had stashed his giant hat in his pocket, protecting his soft hair from the cold, but not the rain. He was sure to be severely punished later for rebelling but for now, it felt good to just run. His mind was in a haze, everything felt blurry and wrong. Why couldn’t his father be there for him when it mattered? Didn’t he understand he was hurting too? That Adrien missed him as much as he missed his mom? It felt like he had lost both parents. He sniffled from the cold and the tears.

It felt like he’d been walking for no time at all but when he checked his watch it had been over an hour. He felt completely drained. He couldn’t tell the difference between his tears and the rain anymore. He shivered and sat down on the water fountain. Adrien looked to the sky. For answers, maybe. For a change. He knew it was stupid- wishing for his mother wouldn’t bring her back. But he couldn’t help but feel like he was being dragged down a river. No matter how hard he fought, he was pulled back under. 

“I just feel so… so trapped. What would you want me to do, mom?”

***

“Tikki, what am I going to do?! I can't find it anywhere!” Marinette sat under a bridge, beginning to cry.  _ Use your head, Marinette. We can solve this _ . What did Tikki say about the miraculous pendants? They had auras. When you wore a miraculous, you could sense the auras. They gave the users powers, and each one had a special power. The ladybug miraculous had the power of creation, but how did it work? How did she create something? What could she create to find the ring? 

“And.. create!” she looked expectantly at her hand but wasn’t shocked to find nothing appeared. “Create! Manifest! Appear! I need something useful!”

_ THINK. Ok. In the box, the pendants were yin and yang. Black cats are unlucky, so mine would be lucky. But how would that cue as a command? Is there even a command, or does it have to do with this yoyo? _ She unlatched her yoyo and found it split open into a very high tech computer, complete with a cell phone and a GPS system. A little white blinking dot appeared in the middle of her screen. She found no other dots while zooming out. There was no information manual or any way to contact Mr. Fu.  _ Tikki said I can make the command whatever I wanted, but there is a default. And I can't detransform to ask her because she’ll be too tired to transform back. _ Mari sat down, defeated.

“What did Tikki say? It was something like… wait, was it lucky charm?” Her yoyo flashed a bright, white light and dispensed a small object. “Finally!” she cheered. “But what is this?” 

Mari pressed the button and a black umbrella sprung open.  _ Of course, _ she thought bitterly. She closed the umbrella and started heading home.  _ Wait. There's something I’m forgetting. _

_ Whoever this person is will meet a tiny god and transform. All I have to do is wait and catch them before the moth miraculous user does.  _ She looked up menacingly, feeling determined.  _ Whoever has the cat miraculous- prepare to battle. You won’t even know what hit you. _

With that, she swung away, rooftop to rooftop, until she was a couple blocks away from her house. She detransformed behind a dumpster and opened her umbrella. She was completely dry. Tikki was yawning loudly on her shoulder. “I’m glad you figured it out Marinette.” 

“Good night, Tikki.”

***

“Excuse me? Are you alright?” The girl had to be no older than he was, but about a foot shorter. “You’re all wet.”

Adrien met her eyes. A dark attractive blue met his light green ones. He said nothing. Why did she even care?

“I’m fine.” he lied.

“Here.” She offered her umbrella to him. “I’m sorry things suck right now for you. I'm close by my house anyway.”

Adrien hesitantly took the umbrella. “Thank you.”

The girl offered him a smile and hurried away. The sound of the rain on the umbrella was soothing. Adrien sighed and dialed his driver.

“Come pick me up,” he stated flatly. He hung up the phone and sent his current location.

…

“That’s a nice ring,” the driver said.

“Yes,” Adrien said. “It is.” He held up his hand to the light and the titanium shone brightly. 

“You shouldn’t have been out so late. You have to wake up in three hours, sir.”

“Thank you for your advice. I’ll keep that in mind next time I run away.” Adrien turned to his window. Was it three am so quickly? 

“I’m sorry sir. Nathalie wanted me to let you know that your father and her will be gone for a few days on a business trip. But you know your own schedule aside from school and that she trusts you’ll make good decisions.”

His father had left? Adrien tried not to look shocked. 

“Just take me home,” he mumbled. And the car ride was silent after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhah get it because she lost the miraculous hah......
> 
> I'm so glad the beginning is over bc I cant wait to write the middle <3
> 
> This chapter took about ~5 hours of writing, editing, and planning, so if you enjoyed pls leave a like and make sure to comment any feedback! ^u^


	3. Famous (and Annoying)

English class has always been one of Marinette’s favorites.

But it was a terrible, horrible day of English class. Marinette sat at the direct front center of the class. Her leg bounced and she wrote down plans in scribbles. There were some very specific things she wanted to investigate first tonight. The classroom was so much noisier than before. She unplugged an earbud and swiveled around, annoyed. Her eyes widened.

“It’s him! It’s really him! Adrien Agreste!!” Another girl ran into the classroom. It was packed, surrounding one very tall blonde boy.  _ The boy from last night! Well, like 3 am. _ He didn’t show any signs of sleep deprivation at all. He looked aggravatingly perfect. The bell rang and multiple teachers had to guide (or shove) the students out. 

Throughout the lesson, she could hear many distracting whispers. When she turned around to glare, she found out it was between Adrien and Chloe.  _ Of course he’s friends with Chloe _ . Marinette had only realized it just then- the boy she helped was Adrien Agreste, from one of the wealthiest families in Europe and a very popular model and actor. It made perfect sense he’d be the egotistical type.  _ But if he’s so perfect, why wouldn’t he have one? _

The assignment on the board was a persuasive essay- find something you have strong convictions towards and prepare to give a speech to the class about it with a partner. What did Mari have strong convictions of? There were people in the class who made there’s obvious- like Chloe- but Marinette didn’t even know what made her beliefs special or important. It must’ve been fate, but she got paired with Mr. Sunshine.  _ Ugh.  _

“There are five minutes of class left. Please meet with your partners and discuss when you can work with them after or before school.”

An annoyed girl stomped to Marinette’s desk.

“We’re trading partners Marinette. You don’t deserve to be with  _ my _ Adrien.” Chloe scoffed. Chloe was a slightly taller and very bitchy girl. You could tell she was heavily influenced by her father’s money. Her hair was a Polly pocket yellow held in a high ponytail and her lips were a shiny, soft pink. If she wasn’t so rude, she would be so pretty. Although Marinette just met her a month ago, they’d become each other’s least favorite person very quickly.

“Fine by me, Chloe. Who’s your partner?” But Chloe had already bounced back and was hugging Adrien’s arm. 

“Excuse me? I think you’re my new partner now,” said a voice from behind her. Marinette turned and saw someone she barely knew the name of.

“It’s Kagami, right? I’m Marinette,” she said. Kagami was the same height as Marinette. She had black, soft, pixie cut hair. She was beautiful. Kagami sat down next to her. They shifted in their seats. Kagami pulled out her laptop and started to type away furiously for something other than this class. The back of the class was loud, but the silence in the front felt uncomfortable rather than soothing.

“Why is the classroom so loud today?” Mari asked innocently.

“Adrien and Chloe,” she said, not looking up.

“The teacher should intervene. It’s not normally like this at all,” she said.

“Mmhm.”

“So why do they get away with it?” Marinette pouted.  _ Please just say anything _ .  _ Anything! _

“Adrien is a celebrity. You didn’t know that?” Kagami slowed her typing. “And he is obviously reveling in it.”

“They shouldn’t be treated differently, still.”

“It’s only his first day. The noise will settle down when the security can create a solution after analyzing the situation. In other words… give it time.” Her typing resumed at its regular pace.

“You’re right. Hey, you know we’re supposed to be planning right now? There’s only a couple minutes left and we haven’t got a topic.”

Kagami looked at Marinette. “Well. Have you got one?”

“Maybe… standing up for good?”

“Isn’t that a little cliché?” Kagami scrunched up her nose. “You should look at the bigger picture here. Why does Adrien and Chloe get their way? It’s certainly not just his status. It’s the  _ money _ . I don’t know about Adrien, but Chloe certainly doesn’t have the qualifications to go here. Why expel someone whose family donates a million to the school every year?”

“That’s awful, Kagami! How do you know that? And are you saying Adrien also got in because of his money?” 

“I’m just speculating.” Her typing was at max speed again and the sound of the clicking became oddly comforting.

“There’s so little justice here.”

Kagami looked shocked to hear something so bold from Marinette but nodded in agreement. “You’re right. But what do we plan on saying? We can’t go up and talk about how unfair Chloe is.”

“I think we should talk about justice in a broader sense- like you said! What does justice entail exactly? Why do bad people get away with bad things?”

“It’s because they were born beautiful and wealthy,” Kagami’s eyes sparkled. “When bad people are at the top of the food chain, it's our job to cut the supply. We have to tell them to not just accept life as it is. It’s because good people do nothing that evil exists.”

“So how do good people bring them to justice? You can’t expect people with no power to be able to overtake those with it,” Mari stated.

“Well, no. But it’s our responsibility to not blindly accept their commands.”

“I agree,” Marinette said, fascinated.  _ Kagami latched onto the idea so quickly. She would’ve made a great miraculous user _ , Marinette sulked. “The bell’s about to ring- you should come over right after school so we can work on this more.”

“Alright, I'll see you then Marinette.” Kagami packed her backpack and the bell rang. Instantly the crowd was back in the room. Marinette glanced back and saw Chloe hugging his arm tightly while Adrien posed and took selfies with anyone who could force their way to the front. She rolled her eyes and left.  _ Cringe. _

…

_ There is truly no justice in this world _ . Mari thought flatly. Adrien was sitting next to her in chem, directly after her encounter in English. Half the class time had passed and he hadn’t said a word to her. He didn’t seem to care about actually doing the work either because his notebook was full of doodles of tiny cats. In this class, he was no different- flirting with the surrounding girls and passing autographs.  _ It’s like he’s TRYING to get kicked out _ , she thought bitterly.  _ Why is he even here? Taking this so unseriously?  _ Marinette got in with hard work; without the scholarship, she couldn’t have dreamed of ever going here. Adrien Agreste was nothing but a rich celebrity and it appeared he didn’t have a brain cell.  _ But there’s something strange about him, too. _ Marinette couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something suspicious about him to her- like a warmth was radiating from him. The more she sat with him, the more obvious it got.  _ But what? _ It irked her to no end.

“You wouldn’t want your umbrella back, would you?” He said to her without looking up. “I can give it to you tomorrow. But it would be a great spectacle. I would make it one.” He winked at her, then went back to doodling.

“No.” She said tightly. “You can keep it.”

“Oh. Ok.”

Marinette finished the page of the chem problems. She didn’t feel remorseful in the slightest, and Adrien didn’t appear to care either as he went on to talk with anybody who would listen behind him.

The bell rang and Marinette went home.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter because I want the next one to be super long. next one should come out in a couple days lul. after I FINALLY get over the beginning, expect weekly updates (probably over the weekend). I can't wait to get into the meat of the story.


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